Earthworking tools such as excavating teeth are commonly known in the industry for use in conjunction with earthmoving implements such as shovels or dipper buckets. Typically, such teeth are mounted on spaced apart adapters or nose pieces of the implement to facilitate repair and, when necessary, replacement of the teeth should they become broken or dull. Periodic replacement is often necessary since the tools are subject to extreme loads and wear due to operating conditions where they encounter rock, sand and other types of abrasive earthen materials.
The adapters are generally configured with a nose portion having a triangular or tapered portion when viewed in longitudinal section. The excavating teeth are also provided with a generally triangular or tapered cavity or hollow for a mating fit with the nose portion of the adapters. To secure the excavating tooth to the adapter, and to allow for replacement of the tooth, a removable fastener such as a retaining pin is typically inserted through opposing holes in the excavating tooth and through a bore in the adapter.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the bore is formed in the adapter and the opposing holes are formed in the excavating tooth with exacting accuracy and preciseness to assure an appropriate and mating fit between the parts. As will be appreciated, an error in placement of the bore in the adapter or the opposing holes in the digging tooth can result in poor mating between confronting surfaces on the tooth and the adapter. Such misfittings can cause significant problems resulting in undue wear between the component parts during operation of the digging or excavating tooth assembly.
In response to the tremendous forces exerted on the digging tooth during excavation, the tooth tends to move laterally, vertically or rotationally relative to the adapter, thereby causing undesirable wear on the respective parts. Moreover, during an excavating operation tremendous forces are placed on the removable fastener used to hold the excavating teeth on to their respective adapter. As a result of the forces acting on the tooth, the pin often becomes loose and fails to operably hold the tooth onto the adapter. Accordingly, the tooth separates from the adapter causing additional problems during the excavating operation.
Thus, there is a continuing need and desire for an excavating tooth assembly which is configured to optimize distribution of forces between the components thereof and prevent undesirable movement therebetween in order to minimize the frequency with which the parts must be replaced, thereby reducing the overall number of replacement parts and the time required to perform the replacement operations. Also, there continues to be a need and a desire for an excavating tooth assembly which is specifically designed to enhance the holding ability of the removable retainer thereby inhibiting inadvertent separation and loss of the excavating tooth relative to the adapter.